The nurse has applied a pulse oximeter to the finger of a patient who is hypothermic. The pulse oximeter does not provide a good reading. What action by the nurse is best?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A patient who is hypothermic may not have good circulation to the extremities. The nurse should assess the patient's circulation, and if it is poor to the extremities, choose another spot at which to measure the oxygen saturation. Moving the probe to another finger or removing nail polish will not help if the problem is poor circulation. The nurse should document appropriately but needs to do more than just charting that the reading could not be obtained.

The Nurse Has Applied a Pulse Oximeter to the Finger